OKEHAMPTON Table Club is delighted after four of their young members netted the English National Schools Champions U13s title.

Emily Haskell, Zoe Bennett, Megan Brogan and Shani Kirk — all from Okehampton College — played superbly, individually and as a team, to bat off the opposition at the finals, which were held in Hinckley, Leicestershire, earlier this month.

To reach that final, the gifted girls had already secured victories at the Devon Schools and South West Regional Schools team competitions.

They then fought off all comers at the National Zone Table Tennis Team Championships held at Bristol Academy, where they competed against U13s teams from Buckinghamshire, London and Essex.

The girls then travelled to Leicestershire for the national finals where they became ENS champions by beating South Hunsley School in Humberside, St James' School in Barnet and Conyers School from Stockton-on-Tees.

Fred Phillips, the chairman of Okehampton Table Tennis Club, is delighted with their achievement.

He told the Times: 'I would like to congratulate the girls on their success and our coach, Mike Hugh, for helping them achieve this wonderful win.

'Mike, as far as we know, is the only full-time, professional coach employed by a private club in the country.

'I would also like to thank coach Roger Bowkett, who coaches clubs at Okehampton, Horrabridge and Gunnislake, for his part in the club's success.'